Higher Education

Construction began in September of 2012 on the $1.8 billion Sunshine Coast University Hospital in Birtinya, Australia. Located on the Kawana Health Campus, the 10-story tertiary teaching hospital is being delivered by Exemplar Health Consortium as a public-private partnership (PPP). The construction subcontractor for the sustainably designed project is Lend Lease. The facility will open with 450 beds in late 2016 and will be fully commissioned with 738 beds in mid-2021. 

The University at Buffalo School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences opened its new home, the $62 million John and Editha Kapoor Hall in September of 2012. Designed by S/L/A/M Collaborative, the 147,000-sf building provides teaching and research labs, classrooms, conference rooms, and computer labs. Supporting clinical and translational research, the building will accommodate the study of proteomics, protein therapeutics, and pharmacogenomics. Ground was broken on the project in September of 2009.

The University of Waterloo opened the $160 million Mike & Ophelia Lazaridis Quantum-Nano Centre in September of 2012. Designed by KPMB Architects of Toronto, the 276,000-sf, five-story facility features a 10,000-sf fabrication cleanroom, a metrology suite, teaching and research labs, seminar rooms, and faculty offices. Providing a research environment with minimal vibration, radio frequency interference, and electromagnetic interference, the building houses the Institute for Quantum Computing and the Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology.

Arizona State University opened the $112 million Interdisciplinary Science and Technology Building IV (ISTB 4) in Tempe in September of 2012. The seven-story, 293,000-sf facility provides flexible laboratories for the School of Earth and Space Exploration and the Schools of Engineering and houses the Security and Defense Systems Initiative.

The University of Windsor opened the $112 million Ed Lumley Centre for Engineering Innovation in September of 2012. Designed by B+H Architects, the 300,000-sf facility provides 80 teaching and/or research labs, eight classrooms, offices, student meeting rooms, and a wind tunnel. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the project, which features a living wall, a green roof, and an advanced ventilation system for optimal indoor air quality. The project manager was J.P.

The University of British Columbia opened the $133 million Pharmaceutical Sciences Building in September of 2012 in Vancouver. The 246,182-sf facility provides collaborative learning spaces and multidisciplinary research labs. The building houses both the Centre for Drug Research and Development and the Centre for High-Throughput Phenogenomics, which includes an advanced imaging suite. The facility was designed by Saucier + Perrotte Architects and Hughes Condon Marler Architects (HCMA).

SUNY Orange broke ground on the Center for Science and Technology in September of 2012. Located in Middletown, N.Y., the four-story, 100,000-sf facility provides classrooms, science labs, faculty offices, configurable lecture halls, computer labs, study spaces, and a cafe. Completion is expected in summer of 2014.

Nova Southeastern University opened the $50 million Center of Excellence for Coral Reef Ecosystems Research in September of 2012. Located at NSU's Oceanographic Center in Hollywood, Fla., the five-story, 86,000-sf facility provides collaborative laboratories for multidisciplinary research, an 85-seat auditorium, and a marine science library. The project was supported by a $15 million grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Ground was broken on the facility in March of 2011.

The University of Washington opened the $77 million Molecular Engineering & Sciences building in Seattle in September of 2012. Designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects, the four-story, 90,300-sf facility provides collaborative labs for interdisciplinary research in bioengineering, nanotechnology, materials science, energy, and protein-based therapeutics. The building was constructed on a thick slab for vibration mitigation and houses advanced instrumentation for molecular measurement.

The University of Rochester Medical Center broke ground in September of 2012 on the $145 million Golisano Children's Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. The eight-story, 245,000-sf facility will provide 52 private inpatient rooms, a 60-bed neonatal ICU, an imaging suite, a playdeck, and a healing garden. Occupancy is expected in 2015. 

Washington State University dedicated the Paul G. Allen Center for Global Animal Health in September of 2012 in Pullman, Wash. The three-story, 62,000-sf facility features a 5,000-sf BSL-3 laboratory for infectious disease research as well as two floors of BSL-2 research space and an administrative wing housing offices and conference rooms. The facility was designed by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects and built by Bouten Construction.

Virginia Commonwealth University broke ground on a $168 million outpatient pavilion at Children's Hospital of Richmond in September of 2012. Designed by HKS, the 640,000-sf facility will provide 72 exam rooms, surgical suites, a medical laboratory, and space for diagnostic imaging and testing. The project will consolidate all outpatient pediatric services in a single location. The general contractor for the facility is Skanska. Completion is expected in 2015. 

The University of Rhode Island opened its $75 million College of Pharmacy building in September of 2012 in Kingston. Designed by Payette, the 144,000-sf teaching and research facility provides laboratories, lecture halls, classrooms, a tissue culture suite, a simulation lab, a 3D visualization auditorium, and clinical space. A $6 million cGMP facility will open in late fall of 2012. LEED Gold sustainable design certification will be sought for the building, which uses 20 percent less energy than a comparable conventional structure.

Tufts University School of Medicine will begin construction in fall of 2012 on the 1,700-sf Arnold 8 Biosafety Laboratory. The BSL-3 facility will be located in the Biomedical Research and Public Health Building in Boston and will support interdisciplinary research on tuberculosis. The estimated cost of construction is $3.5 million. Completion is expected in 2013. 

The University of Texas Health Science Center opened a 300,000-sf facility for the School of Dentistry in September of 2012. The six-story building is located on the South Campus of the Texas Medical Center in Houston and features labs, classrooms, lecture halls, simulation suites, and operatories to support innovative, evidence-based curricula and advanced teaching methods.